18(b) How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?

Prototypical answer:

We believe that the .flickr registry will assist Yahoo! in accomplishing its mission of creating a content, communications, and community platform that delivers rich consumer experiences and advertising solutions across the screens of people’s lives — from desktops to mobile devices, from tablets to connected TVs.

YDS intends to commission consumer marketing research to gauge customer reaction to the new gTLDs and to identify the most effective and safest way to market and provide services through the .flickr TLD. During this initial research period, the registry will be used for internal communications.

We believe that the .flickr registry will benefit our customers and internet users all over the globe: a new .flickr registry could in time become a secure platform for the Flickr suite of services. It is important to Yahoo! to explore all avenues of innovation that could enhance stable and secure delivery of our services and content.

What is the goal of your proposed gTLD in terms of areas of speciality, service levels and reputation?
Flickr is perhaps the best known online photo management and sharing application in the world. Our goal for the .flickr registry is to enhance our reputation for innovation.

In terms of speciality, we look forward to using a single, shorter, globally applicable domain which exactly matches our brand across all the jurisdictions where we have customers. A shorter domain will make it easier for customers to locate Flickr information more efficiently.

In terms of service and reputation, YDS will ensure that the .flickr registry features the same high levels of security, quality and customer service that are applied across all Yahoo! services, making Yahoo! one of the most trusted brands on the internet.


What do you anticipate your proposed gTLD will add to the current space in terms of competition, differentiation or innovation?

We are known for our creativity so we are eager to operate a registry with shorter domain names that are universally applicable. We feel .flickr is an address which offers clarity by equating the domain with the brand itself, and will enable our customers to place their trust in our registry, knowing that they are accessing genuine Flickr content under a .flickr domain.

Only Flickr and Yahoo! personnel and affiliates will be able to register second level domain names in the .flickr registry and they will be pre-validated by YDS. We will be differentiated through this level of control from existing TLDs because internet users will not have to worry about corruption, security, or false or inaccurate information under a .flickr domain.

Flickr is a recognized leader in innovating and enhancing online photo management and sharing services. We believe that the .flickr registry will be a platform that enables us to provide information and services to our customers in a more technologically advanced way than is currently possible. We look forward to exploring advances in speed, security and stability which some are predicting a new TLD will bring.

What goals does your proposed gTLD have in terms of user experience?

We believe that our customers will know they are in a trusted and authentic destination once they arrive at the new gTLD regardless of their geographic location. We want them to be confident that they will receive accurate information and that their sensitive personal details will be protected. We hope to use our TLD to support innovative new services, enriching the experience of internet users.

YDS will ensure that there is an online query system to assist anyone with queries about the .flickr registry. Furthermore, we will provide and promote the details of our Abuse Point of Contact which will be available 24⁄7 and we will comply with all requests from courts, law enforcement, and governmental bodies, and any decisions⁄judgments from UDRP and URS panels.


Provide a complete description of the applicant’s intended registration policies in support of the goals above.

Yahoo! Domain Services is the operator of the .flickr registry. The Yahoo Domain Services team is responsible for the development, maintenance and enforcement of the .Flickr Domain Management Policy. This policy defines the rules associated with eligibility and domain name allocation, sets out the terms governing the use of a .flickr domain name and describes the dispute resolution policies for the .flickr gTLD. This policy is intended to be updated and revised regularly to reflect Yahoo’s commercial and strategic interests for Flickr and, where appropriate, ICANN consensus policies and the adoption of new gTLDs by internet users.
Registration of a .flickr domain name will be undertaken in four steps: Eligibility Confirmation, Naming Convention Check, Acceptable Use Review, and finally Registration. All domains in the .flickr registry will remain the property of YDS.
Only Yahoo! and its affiliates will be able to register second level domain names in the .flickr registry.
Users of .flickr names must utilize their domains solely for purposes that enhance Flickr’s strategic or commercial interests. Domains within .flickr may not be used in a way which knowingly infringe any third party intellectual property rights.
.flickr domains may not be delegated or assigned to external organizations, institutions, or individuals.
All .flickr domains will carry accurate and up to date registration records which have been validated. The .flickr Whois will be accurate.
The Yahoo! Domain Services Team may revoke a .flickr domain name at any time in line with Yahoo’s corporate and strategic interests.
Internationalized domain names (IDN) may be supported in the .flickr registry at the second level.
Each applied for A-label character string must conform to the .flickr rules of eligibility. Each .flickr name must:

• Be at least 3 characters and no more than 63 characters long;
• Not contain a hyphen on the 3rd and 4th position (except for IDNs);
• Contain only letters (a-z), numbers (0-9) and hyphens or a combination of these;
• Start and end with an alphanumeric character, not a hyphen;
• Not match any character strings reserved by ICANN;
• Not match any protected country names or geographical terms; and
• Not be an obscene or offensive term.
The .flickr registry will be ICANN compliant: the registry will interface with the Trademark Clearinghouse, operate a Sunrise and IP Claims and all registrants must comply with the UDRP and the URS. There will be a Thick Whois. Yahoo! Domain Services will co-operate with any complaints under the PDDRP. The .flickr registry will be responsive to legal rights owners.

Will your proposed gTLD impose any measures for protecting the privacy of confidential information of registrants or users?

As an international digital media provider, the protection of a wide range of customer and employee data is of utmost importance to us and we take our responsibility to protect confidential information very seriously. See the Flickr privacy policy at http:⁄⁄info.flickr.com⁄privacy⁄us⁄yahoo⁄details.html

The .flickr registry will protect confidential information. We will comply with the Personal Data obligations of the ICANN Registry Agreement. As required, approved personnel will be registered as data handlers and trained to ensure compliance with ICANN’s requirements. We will:

• Document policies and procedures including an escalation process;
• Use appropriate levels of encryption and physical security;
• Train key staff and ensure responsibilities are understood and documented in rules of conduct;
• Limit access to records only to those employees or service providers who need access for the performance of their job duties;
• Regularly test implemented procedures;
• Monitor best practices and ICANN’s mandated and recommended policies
• Audit the work of providers including the Escrow provider; and
• Report any attempts to gain unauthorised access to appropriate enforcement authorities as required by law.

Describe whether and in what ways outreach and communications will help to achieve your projected benefits?
YDS will ensure that only Flickr personnel and its affiliates will be able to register second level domain names in the .flickr registry. YDS will produce and publish guidelines internally to provide clarity on who can request a .flickr domain and these will also define acceptable use. A home page for the .flickr registry will be created using straightforward messaging so that our policies are understood.
In time, as the new gTLDs are accepted by internet users, we may create and implement a marketing campaign to inform the public about the .flickr TLD and the information and services available there. This campaign could include carefully targeted Below The Line activities including Direct Marketing to reach Flickr users and inform them of our new gTLD and how it can be trusted.

Similar gTLD applications: (1)